Microsoft Russia shows apparent Internet Explorer 9 interface

The Internet Explorer 9 user interface may have been revealed early after a …

Though Microsoft has released four previews of Internet Explorer 9 over the past six months, none of them included much of a user interface. The company was keeping that under wraps, with the first public unveiling happening in a few weeks, on September 15. But with an apparent mistake by one of Microsoft's Russian Web properties, it looks like the secret might be out: the site posted a screenshot that apparently shows the new browser UI, as noticed by Mary-Jo Foley at ZDNet.

Though the blog post has now been deleted, it's still currently available in the Bing cache. As well as the single screenshot, the site described five features of the new browser. Some of these are well-known—standards compliance, performance—but the site also described new user interface features.

The leaked screenshot

The machine translation of the page isn't entirely clear, but it suggests that the new browser will allow tabs to be torn off from the browser window (as already found in Chrome and Safari, for example), and that there will be some kind of provision for creating icons for specific sites, perhaps something similar to Chrome's application mode.

Most striking is the new interface that Internet Explorer 9 will apparently include. It has been pared down and simplified, with the multiple menu buttons of the Internet Explorer 8 toolbar condensed to a single menu. The tabs, address bar, and toolbar have all been condensed into a single row.

The screenshot does have a number of odd features, however. The styling of the back and forward buttons is reminiscent of the style used—and abandoned—during the Longhorn development process, with the back button larger than the forward button—a design also found in Firefox.

The buttons are also unusual in that the oversized back button appears to be truncated at the bottom, where it runs into the actual browser frame, which looks both ugly and inattentive. Also surprising is that Microsoft has, apparently, switched to using the same reload icon as found in Chrome, Firefox, et al.—a single clockwise circular arrow—instead of the paired arrows that it has been using since Internet Explorer 1.

The amount of space available to tabs seems extraordinarily small. It's possible that they overflow onto a second row to make more room, but as shown in the screenshot, they look extremely cramped. The decision not to show the webpage's title in the window title bar is also odd. Chrome doesn't show the page title in the title bar because it uses the title bar for tabs; Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox both duplicate the information, as it means that the full page title can be visible even when the tabs are small.

Also surprising is that the screenshot shows a single bar used for both page addresses and searches. Previously Microsoft has said that this design is a privacy flaw: it means that any Web address typed into the browser is sent to the chosen search engine to allow search-as-you-type. If the picture is accurate, it means that Microsoft has done a surprising about-turn on that privacy issue.

There's also a question of when this screenshot was taken. The taskbar clock is peculiarly obliterated, eliminating the obvious indicator, but the Bing page opened in the browser gives some contradictory clues. The Bing daily photo was used for Bing China back in January and Bing USA in August last year, and Bing changed the appearance of the menu on the left back in May, which suggests that the pictures are old. However, the recent searches can be no earlier than June, due to the mention of Kinect.

The incongruous Bing content could simply be a repercussion of the marketing team using mock-ups, but if the page content is mocked up, anything else could be too—to the extent that the entire browser window could be a mock-up or prototype.

If this is a taste of what's to come with Internet Explorer 9, it's certainly going to look simpler, with more room dedicated to Web content than browser chrome. But the graphical oddities and small space left for tabs give reason to be skeptical; the browser we see next month may not look like this after all.

Regarding the back button, rather than looking Longhorn inspired, I thought it was Metro inspired. It incorporates the same truncated circular back button that you see in the Zune desktop client and throughout WinPhone7, but it still remains slightly conservative by retaining the gel button look found throughout the rest of the Windows UI.

I think it's inevitable for all browsers to have a similar UI layouts because, as web apps improve, people will want their browser to act as a simple frame which obfuscates the web app as little as possible.

Reading the original post, they also mention the ability to pin sites to the (I assume Win7) taskbar by simply dragging an icon there. Click and drag the pin to the taskbar and the site's icon is put there separately from IE's icon.

I don't really see the point of such obvious, pointless trolling but if you look at that image and see Chrome then I think you need to have your eyes checked.

Back on topic, I would be very surprised if this is real due to the positioning of the tab bar. I'd also like to see the IE team move the toolbar buttons (home, refresh, etc.) back over to the left of the screen where all other browsers and all pre-IE7 versions of IE have them. The one big annoyance I have with IE is the fact that it breaks my muscle memory.

Well it's very nice how much attention you paid to detail for detective work. It's kind of sad you were all criticism without praise though. The 'title on tab' thing seems to work for Chrome. I think Firefox 4 won't duplicate this information either. Ths mockup has too much titlebar though (with no title).

I like the reduction in elements, and would be happy to finally have a browser where the tabs can be on the same line as the address box. I think only Maxthon had ever let me do that.

Anyway, as you said, it probably won't look like this.

maxtz wrote:

Looks like something I made in the toilet this morning. MS needs some new UI inspiration, although I applaud the effort.

I like the simpler interface, but I still hate the transparent windows. It just looks so strange to me with a transparent window that has non transparent contents, like the URL area is just floating above the website.

Not that I care that MS is emulating the Chrome UI, just wanted to reply to the people telling others it does not look like Chrome. It implements the Chrome interface quite closely. Is it exact pixel for pixel? Obviously, not. But it is extremely similar.

I like the reduction in elements, and would be happy to finally have a browser where the tabs can be on the same line as the address box. I think only Maxthon had ever let me do that.

Firefox 4 lets you do that.

Belzebuth wrote:

Looks nice, if it ends up being simpler than Chrome I can see myself switching back.

This perfectly illustrate the intelligence level of Chrome users. If there was a browser with just a simple button for opening the site they want, they'd use THAT instead. Non-functional is better, I tell you!

Looks nice, if it ends up being simpler than Chrome I can see myself switching back.

This perfectly illustrate the intelligence level of Chrome users. If there was a browser with just a simple button for opening the site they want, they'd use THAT instead. Non-functional is better, I tell you!

On the other hand I could argue that a bulkier UI, and by extension a smaller area to display the actual web content, constitutes a reduction of functionality. I can't think of a single basic browsing function IE8 allows in it's three rows of controls that Chrome doesn't allow in it's 2 rows.

Looks nice, if it ends up being simpler than Chrome I can see myself switching back.

This perfectly illustrate the intelligence level of Chrome users. If there was a browser with just a simple button for opening the site they want, they'd use THAT instead. Non-functional is better, I tell you!

On the other hand I could argue that a bulkier UI, and by extension a smaller area to display the actual web content, constitutes a reduction of functionality. I can't think of a single basic browsing function IE8 allows in it's three rows of controls that Chrome doesn't allow in it's 2 rows.

Tell me, mister clever, what height is your title bar, as per system setting? Do you have your task bar auto-hiding itself? And do you use big or small buttons on your browser's toolbar?

Start by the basics if you need space, and if the basics are not enough, then please, by all means, get a simple browser. That's what I use on my cellphone: a simple browser.

"The buttons are also unusual in that the oversized back button appears to be truncated at the bottom, where it runs into the actual browser frame, which looks both ugly and inattentive."

Well, that's what the Vista start button looks like. I believe it's also what the 7 start button looks like when you use small icons instead of the default version. I guess the difference is that on the start menu, it's cut off by the physical display and not a UI frame.

If IE8 looked more like Chrome i might use it now. IE9 looks like a better direction, but the top most bar is still wasted space (where chrome puts its tabs). I am looking forward to this browser- it would be nice to find IE acceptable again.

Given if this is real, at the least they were ballsy enough to rethink the UI, which looking back over the years hasn't happened much. Looking at IE8 there truly is nothing about the UI that isn't worth redesigning. Ignoring UI advancement and growth just for the sake of keeping it the same for older users is ignoring the simple fact of life; time is progressing and the world is changing.

For too long Microsoft has held its old UI designs in the sake of "backwards compatibility" with its users, which can inhibit development with its platforms. Now of course completely changing the UI every few year just for the sake of something "new" isn't helpful either, but I think intelligent redesign should be required any time there is a major update. The thought is, as time progresses the capabilities and usabilities of our devices/technologies is growing and changing, and if we ignorantly close our eyes to these growths and changes then we very much so stunting growth.

I get it though, for a lot of people out there change is scary; something that was familiar is now out of place and it can make them feel lost, but I see that as more of a problem because they weren't given enough opportunities to see progression. If you spend 10 years not changing something and then suddenly it's different even in the slightest, then it seems shocking. But, if you grow over each of those years, not only are the changes less shocking but you get the user to understand how to adapt to the changes of time.

Too a point you can see Microsoft doing a better job of this recently, such as with Windows 7, but I think they can be even more dramatic, and I hope Windows 8 is that next leaping point.

Now as an extreme you can take Windows Phone 7 and the Metro philosophy. As opposed to gradual change (as they were almost going to do with WinMo7) they have realized they had to take a complete break from their old design concepts and rethink the entire UI. What they realized was that for far too long they had gone down that path of gradual updating to the point where the technological around them had far surpassed what they had once used their UI for. There was a time when touch input was unheard of, and a pixel perfect stylus was king, but time progressed and thanks largely to Apple we found that our own stubby fingers were a much better way to interact with these devices in our pockets. Microsoft's realization that trying to recreate the desktop on a mobile device is a poor design choice will grace us with WP7 and its lovely Metro UI come by years end. Yay for growth!

Now the cynical bunch out there could say (as I'm sure they will with similar changes to IE9) such change with Metro would break "user compatibility" and people would be lost. Well, a few things happens that makes this a non issue. First, the Metro UI wasn't just created for the sake of making new and different UI, it follows a logical design of simplicity by doing more with less by following the concepts found in transportation and international signs. These signs were designed to get around a number of barriers (such as language) and simply express vital information no matter where you are or where you are from. As it turns out these signs have been incredibly successful at their jobs for the decades and can be seen universally around the world (hmm if only someone made a UI from them....).

Now as more and more people use the Metro UI they find that even though it's radically different, the design somehow seems familiar (probably because they see it every day in the real world); it's logical, clear, simple and it just makes sense even to those who have never seen or used it before. In more and more cases we hear that this design is something people enjoy and even prefer over everything else they've been using. So while we can't say that Metro and WP7 is a breakthrough success, yet, we can see that even radical changes can be greatly beneficial, even if they completely break "old user compatibility".

Now back to IE9, while I'm not sold on this UI yet (I would need a lot more info first) I like at the very least that they are moving forward. If that is a place I want to be going to is yet to be seen, but the fact that they are actually rethinking the concept shows promise. Again, repeating myself more, if they actually look at how things are processing and improve IE9's UI with that in mind, then I'm all for it. As for the actual UI look, it looks fresh to say the least. As someone pointed out, the cropping of elements is something Metro has its name all over. If you take a look at the new Windows Messenger you can also see more Metro being implemented, so it seems that Metro is the direction Microsoft is using going forward.

I believe Metro was first seen in Media Center and with the Windows Live programs being known for foreshadowing UI elements coming up in the next version of Windows, its not too hard to believe IE9 will have elements of Metro as well. We are seeing more evidence that Metro is here to stay and may very well be in Windows 8, which if done right I'll be very happy about. As for those who think UI cropping is ugly and careless, I know better as if you actually have followed and read through the philosophy of the Metro design language, you would know that these things aren't done haphazardly, are are quite often pixel perfected for placement, but given that this leak might not even be real, I doubt we can really nit pick over such things until it's at least confirmed this is a final design. Also, as for Windows 8, even if IE9 does show elements of Metro, that doesn't mean all of Windows 8 has to be exactly the same, especially pixel for pixel, as IE9 != Windows Explorer, but hey we have to find something wrong with it right? It's Microsoft after all and they are as evil and wrong as the devil.

Tell me, mister clever, what height is your title bar, as per system setting? Do you have your task bar auto-hiding itself? And do you use big or small buttons on your browser's toolbar?

Start by the basics if you need space, and if the basics are not enough, then please, by all means, get a simple browser. That's what I use on my cellphone: a simple browser.

Most of those things have an actual effect on functionality. The size of my titlebar makes the window frame easier to grab/double click (I also used some auto hotkey scripts wich allow me to middle click the window frame to close it and minimize windows by scrolling on the title bar).

The point is that a third row in the browser's UI doesn't present any benefit that makes it worth it's downsides. You say chrome users hate functionality. What functionality are they loosing?

IE9 won't win on the new UI if it does well, it will be the Direct3D rendering and performance. If it doesn't deliver there...well who cares how slick it looks? So far, the Previews have been pretty exciting.

This is quite clearly simply a design mockup, for all the reasons mentioned by the article and by other posters. There is no reason to get worked up about this--the UI will change numerous times on account of usability testing and other considerations.

I see this as mockup as a very good thing; MS designers are putting some work into exploring new browser layouts to see what works and what doesn't. Simply the creative process at work. Perhaps, by release time, they will stumble upon something truly innovative. Or at least pretty and usable.

Not that I care that MS is emulating the Chrome UI, just wanted to reply to the people telling others it does not look like Chrome. It implements the Chrome interface quite closely. Is it exact pixel for pixel? Obviously, not. But it is extremely similar.

... how? What elements are shared that other browsers don't have? Every blog has commenters shouting "looks like Chrome!" so I'm really starting to wonder what y'all are seeing that I'm not.

Chrome is the browser that looks *least* like this mockup, compared to FF, Opera and even Safari

The point is that a third row in the browser's UI doesn't present any benefit that makes it worth it's downsides. You say chrome users hate functionality. What functionality are they loosing?

Well, proper tab management, for one. You can't have many tabs on one window, otherwise it'll go kaboom. A proper fullscreen. Good bookmarks access. Customization. Extensibility (decent extensibility, I mean). RSS reader. Proper web search (you can't select, drag and drop text into the engine of your choice, like in other browsers). Browse-by-name... That's about all I can remember for now.

burnblue wrote:

Morbus wrote:

burnblue wrote:

I like the reduction in elements, and would be happy to finally have a browser where the tabs can be on the same line as the address box. I think only Maxthon had ever let me do that.